Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pies

Celebrate the Kentucky Derby this weekend in style with Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pies! Bourbon, chocolate and pecans make for a delightfully sweet filling inside a cream cheese crust. Paired with bourbon, these mini desserts are the perfect Derby Day treat!

A Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie is grabbed from a white platter before serving

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As a kid, I was a bit obsessed with horses.

All kinds and disciplines, really. They’re beautiful creatures, and I was fascinated with everything about them.

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    I especially loved horse racing.

    The crust of the Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pies is prepared before filling.

    As a girl growing up in Tennessee, there weren’t many opportunities for me to see races, though my family took a pit stop at Keeneland one summer when we were road tripping to visit family.

    That was the closest I ever got to actual racehorses in the flesh until college.

    So I was left to my own devices.

    The filling is dolloped into the shells of the Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pies before baking

    Like any child of the 90’s, I was well-versed in programming our VCR to record various television programs.

    And because I was all about horse racing and had no way to enjoy it in the flesh, I taped every event that was broadcast. Even though that I was often home to watch the events in real time.

    I watched these tapes over and over again, enjoying the scenery, the commentary and the sport. I especially loved the coverage of big races–the stakes races leading up to the Triple Crown, the Breeder’s Cup, and, of course, the Triple Crown, beginning with the Kentucky Derby.

    Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pies, still in the mini muffin tin, directly after baking on a marble background

    As an adult, I don’t watch near as much horse racing as I did when I was a kid, but I love it all the same.

    And since the Run for the Roses is this weekend, I thought it would be fun to make a sweet treat to celebrate this year’s race.

    My Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pies combine dark chocolate, pecans and Kentucky bourbon inside a decadent cream cheese crust. And while it might not be like the original pie, I find it hard to go wrong with anything that combines dark chocolate, pecans and bourbon.

    Also? You can absolutely taste the bourbon. (And who doesn’t love bourbon to drink for the Derby, whether it’s in a Mint Julep or on the rocks?)

    Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pies, after baking, on a white platter.

    Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie Essentials

    Get the look!

    Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pies, after baking, on a white platter.

    Tips and Tricks for making the BEST Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pies

    • This recipe calls for a homemade Cream Cheese Crust that comes together easily and quickly (and can be made in advance–more of this in the recipe), but you can swap out a store-bought crust if you’re not into or don’t have time to make your own.
    • Don’t add more bourbon to the Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pies. I’ve done it, and while it’s wonderful, it can be overwhelming. We’ve found the amount the recipe calls for is the perfect balance for bourbon lovers and those who aren’t fans.
    • Be careful when you drizzle the filling into the crust. If you overfill them, they could bubble over and make your muffin tin sticky.
    • Make Ahead Tip: These beauties can last 1-2 days in the refrigerator after baking! Bake ’em a day or two before your party, and the day of, let them come to room temperature (or reheat in the toaster oven!) before guests arrive for the ultimate treat.

    Several Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pies sit on a white platter, ready for serving

    Other AWESOME Derby Day Treats

    Just interested in these?

    Here’s how I made these beauts:

    Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pies, after baking, on a white platter.
    Yield: 24 mini pies

    Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pies

    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes

    Celebrate the Kentucky Derby this coming weekend in style with Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pies! Bourbon, chocolate and pecans make for a delightfully sweet filling inside a cream cheese crust. Paired with bourbon, these mini pies are the perfect Derby Day sweet!

    Ingredients

    Crust

    • 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
    • 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ cup water, ice cold (plus additional, depending on how the dough comes together)

    Filling

    • ½ cup pecans, chopped
    • ½ cup dark chocolate chips
    • 6 tablespoons dark brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
    • 2 tablespoons bourbon

    Instructions

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a mini muffin baking pan liberally with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.

    Make the Crust

    1. In a medium-sized bowl, measure out the flour, sugar and salt. Whisk until combined.
    2. Using a pastry cutter, cut the cream cheese into the dry ingredients, mixing until the mixture looks like wet sand.
    3. Slowly drizzle in the water, and stir together with a spoon, mixing until the ingredients just come together. Set aside.

    Make the Filling

    1. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, vanilla extract, butter and bourbon until combined. Add the pecans and chocolate chips. Set aside.

    Prepare and Bake the Mini Pies

    1. Scoop a tablespoon of the dough into your hand. Roll into a ball, then set in the prepared muffin tin. Using your thumb, create a large indention in the middle, making sure to let the dough climb the sides of the tin. Repeat until all of the crust has been used and is in place in the pan.
    2. Carefully drizzle a tablespoon of the filling into the crusts. Be careful not to drizzle too much outside of the crusts, or it will become sticky and stick to the muffin tin.
    3. When all the pies have been filled, place the mini muffin tin on a large baking sheet, and transfer into the oven.
    4. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops have browned slightly, then remove from the oven and let cool before eating.
    5. Enjoy with your beverage of choice!

    Notes

    Make Ahead Party Tip: These mini pies can be made 1-2 days in advance and kept in the refrigerator. Reheat (or let come to room temperature) before serving, and enjoy!

    You can make the pie crust in advance, too. When it's made, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let the dough warm up a little before rolling it into balls and shaping in the mini muffin tin.

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    Nutrition Information:

    Yield:

    24

    Serving Size:

    1 mini pie

    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 109Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 61mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 1gSugar: 7gProtein: 1g

    Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate.

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    Are you a big horse racing fan, too?

    Do you have any specific plans to watch the Kentucky Derby this weekend?

    The photos and recipe for these Mini Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pies were originally published on April 27, 2015. The photographs, along with the text of this blog post, were updated and republished on April 30, 2018.

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    About the Author:

    Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her

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    4 Comments

    1. I love horses, but I’m not too keen on horse racing. I do however love all the little snacks and bites that come with each racing season party 🙂 Our big horse race is in November – The Melbourne Cup. It’s always run on a Tuesday and the whole office stops to watch the race on one of the big screens in our meeting room!
      These gorgeous mini derby pies are beautiful and tempting bite size treat, and the combination of chocolate, pecans and bourbon has my mouth watering!

    2. Ahhhhh Erin! You know the way to my heart, and it’s with small, mini versions of stuff! <3 These have to be divine! My fave flavors in a poppable pie – yum! I have to work all weekend, so I won't get to see the race, but I would totally celebrate with a plate of these anyway. 🙂

      1. Hey Dan! I’ve never tried this recipe with a regular-sized muffin tin, but it *should* work… As far as alterations, the bake time will be longer. Bake them for the original time as specified in the recipe, then check on them and add time until they’re baked through. (It’ll take some watching on your end so that they don’t overcook.) The total number will also be less since the mini pies will be larger. If you give this a go, will you let me know how they turn out? Thank you and happy holidays!

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